Catharsis, n. purification of the emotions, as by the drama according to Aristotle: the purging of the effects of pent-up emotion and repressed thoughts, by bringing them to the surface of consciousness.
Catharsis describes the result of measures taken to cleanse away blood-guilt—"blood is purified through blood" (Burkert 1992:56), a process in the development of Hellenic culture in which the oracle of Delphi took a prominent role.
Modern parlance has words we might prefer, both of them starting with C: closure and cleansing.
Since the death of Osama bin Laden media reports have expressed awe, shock and horror, overwhelming surprise at the suddenness of the news in spite of the ten year gap between 9/11 and his death; we have seen jubilation and celebration; more recently there has been hand-wringing and breast-beating at the manner of the killing; the Archbishop of Canterbury has professed himself as 'uncomfortable' with the shooting. Questions are being asked about the exact course of events, the legality of events, the infringement of Pakistan's sovereignty; the wisdom of burial at sea, the advisability of withholding pictures of the dead body are being discussed. The first conspiracy theories are emerging, disbelief and doubt are surfacing; the compound where bin Laden apparently lived for the past five years without knowledge of the Pakistani authorities has become a place of gruesome pilgrimage, a tourist attraction.
Fears of repercussion are growing, we are told we must be vigilant and aware of the dangers to security.
Newton states in his Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy:
Every action has its equal and opposite reaction.
J.R.R. Tolkien said in The Lord Of The Rings, Book Four:
Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.
No doubt there will be many more questions and very few answers, there may be tensions between nations, harsh words and sabre rattling; there will always be those for whom nothing that is said or done will be right, but of one thing I am absolutely certain:
Osama bin Laden is dead and for the people of New York, the families and friends of his victims, and the vast, overwhelming majority of the people of the United States there has been catharsis.
Absolutely right in every detail, Friko, and very well expressed.
ReplyDeleteWars will never end...evil will never end...but one man who was a threat to many many people, not all of them Americans, is dead. About the manner of the killing: live by the sword, die by the sword.
ReplyDeleteI do not celebrate Osama bin Laden's death, and it's hard for me to say that I am glad that any human is dead.
But it does feel like Justice has been done.
Thank you for saying it so well.
ReplyDeleteHello:
ReplyDeleteThis is a very thought provoking and timely post in which you raise a number of very important issues without in any way imposing your own viewpoint.
As pacifists the whole question of the War on Terror, or indeed any war, is a vexed one and we always remain unclear over the concept of the just war. Whatever, we would endorse whole heartedly the sentiment expressed in your final paragraph whilst being glad that some of the decisions needing to be taken in the modern world do not have to be made by us.
You have said it all so well...and he IS dead!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
For me, I am relieved that Osama bin Laden is no longer able to kill others, as he was wont to do. However, I am not celebrating his death. How can one be gleeful about the death of another (well, unless you were ObL or those just like him)?
ReplyDeletelove love love that tolkein quote...and yes, for whose justice do we really want but our own, and where does that leave the family of the other...
ReplyDeleteVery well said, Friko. I too am not celebrating the death of another, but I do know that the world I live in will no longer be the safe place it was when I was a child. You have said exactly what I would have said if I had your talent...
ReplyDeleteoh, I thought you had given up on the alphabet.
ReplyDeletegreat post. people refer to his death but what it really was was an execution. the karma of his life, live by the sword, die by the sword, allowed no other end for him but a violent one. he is dead and this country executed him and who is to say or say not that it was justice guided by a higher hand. I am not happy or gleeful. and I think the celebrations in the country are shameful. you kill a viper by necessity to protect others but you don't sing and gloat about it. even god, when he was drowning the egyptians chastened the jews against celebrating because these were his creatures too and it was a sad day that so many had to perish.
Thoughtful post -- I'm glad he's gone, and I'm very proud of our president for taking the action he did.
ReplyDeleteI am of two minds on this subject. I am glad that he is no longer alive but fear that there are many ready to take his place. Was it right to carry out this mission the way it was - only time will tell. To be quite honest with you it sounds more like an action spy novel than reality but as the saying goes reality is stranger than fiction.....
ReplyDeleteFabulous post! I too am not in celebration mode, however, being from the States, I would agree that most are feeling a sense of catharsis. And yes, we all must continue to stay vigilant in our awareness and diligent in contacting authorities if something seems out of place.
ReplyDeleteYou said it all with great eloquence and wisdom... such that our World Leaders should have.
I'm glad this part is over. The catharsis for that is good. However, I'm not sure it is all over. :'(
ReplyDeleteVery, very well said, Friko. I agree.
ReplyDelete— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
It's certainly a complicated matter, isn't it. I'm sure we have NOT heard the end of bin Laden yet...unfortunately.
ReplyDeletewell done!
ReplyDeleteJolly Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
><}}(°>
><}}(°>
<°)}}><
Thoughtful, exemplary post.
ReplyDeleteWell put. There's never a simple answer, is there?
ReplyDeletewho else but you were able to write alike. impressed.
ReplyDeleteplease have a good weekend ahead.
David Nice, who has the blog "I'll think of something later," recently wrote two lovely pieces about Morocco that I commend to all. At the end of the first, "in such a square as this . . ", of the death of bin Laden, he wrote, "Please God, insha'Allah, no more retaliation now." This is what I wish for, too, though I feel it is a wish in vain.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was shameful to be dancing in the streets at the news of his death. Just as I thought it shameful for Arabs living in Detroit to be celebrating when 9/11 happened. Two wrongs don't make a right. I think the world is better off without him, but we should conduct ourselves in civilized fashion, as Mr. Obama has.
ReplyDeleteIt has been about catharsis. Even before you mentioned Bin Laden, I knew that's where you may be going.
ReplyDeleteYour quotation from Tolkien is perfect, and comes from one of my favorite pieces of literature, all of it about good versus evil. I wish I understood better.
I love the way you have of summing up situations concisely, honestly, and wryly. I wish you were a newscaster: you would save us about three days everytime something major came up. As for bin Laden, he was certainly a ringleader in that world of distorted thinking. I wish we never had to engage in that world because it's not a level playing ground. I think we should drill our own oil...
ReplyDeleteI have just ordered my very own Almanack of Folklore. Can't wait. I feel wiser already.
ReplyDeleteNo , I can't rejoice in another's death either , however it happens . But I can understand that the relatives and people of New York feel that justice has been done .
ReplyDeleteFortunately Obama has decided not to release the photos . As for the jihadis reaction ? We'll see soon enough .
The people I've spoken to this week in the Muslim community here want , like everyone else , a life of hope and peace for their children . We'll have to carry on building this up family by family , child by child .
Huge action-film sorties don't build lasting peace .
It is always a worthy challenge to step back and contemplate the bigger picture, even while emotions rage, something you do very well here. You know my feelings about this already, which are mainly a sort of sickening sense of wonder at how we have come to this point.
ReplyDeletehis death appalled me but not as much as if he'd gotten away. I hope the intelligence discovered will be helpful to save future lives of people from all nations.
ReplyDeleteThe photo you have posted is the one sealed inside my memory bank. I am grateful for your honest reflection because I am not sure even now what I feel (glad the man is gone, yes; for the rest, I just don't know). You put it very well. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou're very eloquent, and some Americans may feel catharsis, but I don't, and the people I know don't. We feel that the time to get him was ten years ago, but instead our leaders invaded a country, caused untold death and helped make the world a poorer place. Nor do the people I know rejoice over any man's death.
ReplyDeleteDitto Mark's comment and I add; Revenge trumps wisdom, unfortunately.
ReplyDelete